Can't find DLQ

[Davelin]

I have a situation where a hive after an AS threw a cast swarm which I took and hived. This colony is doing fine and the Queen is laying well. However the second emerging queen in the original hive has obviously not mated as she is a drone layer.

I would like to re-unite these two colonies, but I can't find the drone laying queen.

I have split the colony in half so I've narrowed it down to 4 frames; I have sieved through a Q Ex, but she is obviously small enough to go through; I have studied every frame until I've gone boss eyed, but can't see her.

Any suggestions as to what I can do next?

 

[masterBK]

I normally have no problems spotting queens of any description but last week l had a drone laying queen I couldn't find despite using all the classic queen finding tricks. In frustration I ran a "pulled virgin" (assisted emergence) from a very ripe Q cell into the hive and today when I looked there was the virgin and no more (drone) eggs present. If you have a mature queen cell protect the sides (insulation tape) of the cell from attack by the workers/queen and introduce that (held between two combs). Virgins are adept at findng other queens and should sort it out for you.

 

[oliver90owner]

Or you could shift that colony well away from current site and replace with another hive/colony. The flyers which will have re-oriented will fly home. The queen should be left along with the brood as she will be in completely new surroundings. You could even shake them out well away from thevhive (after a further move) as the queen would be lost in new surroundings

 

[Davelin]

If I put the queen right colony on the Dlq site (currently next door), and move the Dlq to other end of apiary then I guess flyers would reunite.

If I still can't find her then I guess throw in hedge would be best option.

Thanks for suggestion Mbk no ripe qcs at the moment.

 

[richardbees]

I'd suggest you "throw in hedge"

......moving the hive a few feet is just prolonging the problem

dlq = spawn of the devil!

 

[beeno]

I normally have no problems spotting queens of any description but last week l had a drone laying queen I couldn't find despite using all the classic queen finding tricks. In frustration I ran a "pulled virgin" (assisted emergence) from a very ripe Q cell into the hive and today when I looked there was the virgin and no more (drone) eggs present. If you have a mature queen cell protect the sides (insulation tape) of the cell from attack by the workers/queen and introduce that (held between two combs). Virgins are adept at findng other queens and should sort it out for you.

That sounds like a good little tip not to be found in a book. Thanks may come in handy one day.

 

[Moggett]

If you have a mature queen cell protect the sides (insulation tape) of the cell from attack.......

I use a bit of tin foil - less sticky!